MATA DOUBLE EARNS CHELSEA VICTORY
LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Two goals by Juan Mata helped leaders Chelsea to a 4-2 victory in a captivating London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as they maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.Mata, signed for Chelsea by Andre Villas Boas, ruined his former manager's hopes of getting one over the club that sacked him in March by killing off Tottenham's second-half revival.
Gary Cahill's volley gave Chelsea a deserved halftime lead but Tottenham were re-energised after the break and goals by William Gallas and Jermain Defoe swung the match the way of the hosts, who had not lost a home league derby since 2007.
It was Defoe's 200th career goal but it proved merely a footnote as Mata took centre stage.
The Spanish playmaker punished a poor Gallas clearance after
66 minutes and struck again to put Chelsea back in control.
Mata, signed for Chelsea by Andre Villas Boas, ruined his former manager's hopes of getting one over the club that sacked him in March by killing off Tottenham's second-half revival
had chances for an equaliser but Daniel Sturridge add-
Tottenham ed a fourth for Chelsea in stoppage time.
Roberto Di Matteo's European champions now have 22 points from eight matches, seven more than Manchester United and champions Manchester City who were in action against Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion respectively.
Tottenham, deprived of winger Gareth Bale after he rushed to be with his girlfriend who went into labour, suffered their first defeat since losing to Newcastle United on the opening day of the season.
Not since the days of Jose Mourinho have Chelsea enjoyed such a productive start to the season and back-to-back away wins at Arsenal and Tottenham, both of whom finished above them in the league last season, mean they are serious title contenders.
“It was only the 10 or 12 minutes early in the second half that Tottenham got back in the game, we lost a bit of control but for the rest of the game we took the initiative,” Di Matteo, who was without suspended skipper John Terry, told Sky Sports. “It was a test of our character today, coming here against a team in form with four consecutive wins, it was a big derby for us, especially after the international break there are always a few question marks but the answers we gave were perfect.” VillasBoas, who was greeted warmly by the Chelsea bench before kickoff, said it had been a game full of
emotion.